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ECONOMIC INVESTIGATION OF NUCLEAR POWERED TANKERS

The primary objectives of this investigation were to establish the economics of a tanker powered by an AMF closed cycle boiling water reactor, compare the transportation costs of the nuclear tanker to the conventional design, and determine the important parameters affecting this economic analysis. This analysis was based upon the cost data developed for the reference design which was a 38,000 DWT tanker powered by a 22,000 SHP propulsion plant of either conventional or nuclear design. The analysis shows that all variations in the cost parameters within practical reason result in the nuclear transportation costs being consistently higher than the conventional and that this condition is brought about by the high cost of the nuclear equipment. Suggestions for reducing these costs include design improvement, government subsidy, and standardization of nuclear components.

Supplemental Notes:

This document is available for review at the Department of Commerce Library, Main Commerce Building, Washington, D.C., under reference number AMF-GR-22-57.